DONT MISTAKE MY HAIRSTYLE FOR UNGODLINESS

by Maina Kiwiri

I echo the words of one Amos Karanja on spiritual life and dressing and modesty. The measure of what is in your heart has been made to be your appearance. Men with locks, long hair, and use of studs among others are deemed unspiritual and are not allowed to represent the church or hold office in the church in most part of Kenya. Since when did the measure of one’s spirituality be his outward appearance. Haven’t we seen men in locks lead worship in other countries and the spirit comes down? Haven’t we seen others in studs praying for the sick and they get healed? Haven’t we seen good music coming from Gods people not necessarily clad in suits and a tie? Since when did the Bible add a clause that decency and Modesty is in short hair, suits and ties and no studs?

Preacher Todd White in long dreadlocks preaches the Gospel of Christ at a crusade in Cameroon

Just because the African culture said that earrings are for women, it doesn’t mean that it’s so in the Bible. Haven’t we seen churches banish women from their fellowships attributing it to wearing trousers with an emphasis on women should not wear men’s clothing. * Deut 22 vs 5* while the same men banishing her cannot buy the same clothing in the market saying it is a woman’s clothing.

Long hair, studs, jeans, are just a manifestation of my sense of fashion which you long lost to the norm you were introduced to by your conservative spiritual leader. Your eye for new fashion is clogged with the belief that such clothing should not be taken to church as it is deemed ‘unspiritual’, ‘unholy’ and all manners of names that makes you not want to attach yourself with it. Tell me, where in the bible is it written that that clothing is unholy? Quote me one verse that holds to it that that piece of regalia is not to be worn by believers and I will banish it from my list. None. But your spiritual leader commanded you in a polite way of course never to wear such and you thought God had spoken. Read your bible. Understand it. Meditate on it. Then you also need to differentiate between what is culture and what the word is saying. Don’t mix the culture of a people and think it’s what the word of God is saying.

“The fact that i don’t dress like you walk like you, talk ,smile, cook, socialize or even have a hairstyle like yours, does not mean i am ungodly.  I am me. I am born again and Christ is lord over my life as me. I won’t become you.”

 (Amos Karanja 2015)

It’s my hair. It grows from the scalp of my head. Why does it bother you? You have yours too which you chose to shave and keep it short. I chose not to shave mine and display God’s blessing in me in form of appearance.

a section of the all time gospel reggae band Christafari perform at Big Church Day Out 2015

Every head has its best hair style. Just because you look good in short hair, it does not mean my head fits the same hairstyle. Just because your pastor shaves as you, does not mean I am doomed to perish in hell. I live by Gods word. That’s all that matters. Pleasing God and doing his will. I have never come across a verse that tells of how Peter at heaven’s gate will not allow men in long hair and locks to enter into the kingdom.

Men have fallen on the side Pharisees whose addiction to their own self-righteousness drove nails through the hands of the Son of God. Steeped in self-righteousness and dripping judgment, men have fallen into the sin of judging those with locks, long hair, studs and other normal regalia that seems abnormal thanks to their cultures. These are no longer godly and belong to the devil himself. Short hair, suits and ties have become a compulsory requirement for a people to be called Gods people and be candidates for heaven. Men have written their own bibles forgetting about the original Holy Bible they once followed. May Truth flood your hearts and wash the self-righteousness away.  May you be humbled at the thought of your own hypocrisy.

Reknown Vocalist and Gospel musician Jeremiah Woods.

Once you look deep inside, therein you will find men passionate for the Gospel.  So passionate, in fact, that they surpass most of you in faith, dreadlocks definitely making the approach towards others in sin simpler than if they were a clean-cut do-gooder in a suit coat. 

 

Indeed, Scripture does not focus on the physical appearance of Jesus but on His teachings. He came to seek and to save the lost, coming to live among humanity to provide salvation to all who will believe in His name (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).

 This is not either a defense or condemnation of locks, long hair or wearing of studs in church and other regalia deemed by men indecent.  This blog is not the place for that.  However, it is a condemnation of people’s reaction to those things.  It is a challenge to understand that you never know how or by whom the Holy Spirit is going to work, and for you to get in the way of that with your own self-righteousness-steeped, judgment-dripping self is a move too dangerous to risk.  In short, the issue of clothing must always be carefully, thoughtfully and honestly studied from a scriptural perspective while allowing the scriptures to be the ultimate authority on such issues. Making a thorough study into the clothing norms of the Bible.

"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."  ~John 7:24

LETS SOCIAL MEDIA BE “A SOCIAL MEDIA”

By Maina Kiwiri

The 21st century has been a century of many changes and technological advancements. Arguably the most important and influential technological advancement of this century has been the internet. With the internet came other branches of the internet such as social media that have now become extremely prominent in the daily life and culture of many a people.

There are millions of people on the internet who are looking to meet other people and to gather and share information and experiences on a variety of topics. Because of this, hundreds of social networking sites have been created, and they have attracted millions of users in the few short years that social networking has become a phenomenon.Most of the key features of these sites are very similar, yet the cultures that form around the social networking sites vary in many different ways. Some of the sites target diverse audiences, while others attract people based on common language, race, sexual preferences, religion, or nationality. The sites also vary the ways in which the show and incorporate new information and communication tools, like mobile access, blogging, and photo and video sharing (Boyd, Ellison, 2007).

From students to journalists, One Direction to the Presidents - lots of people use social media sites for both work and pleasure. Social networking has lots of good points.

Social networking is a topic that divides opinion - some people think it's an amazing tool but others are worried about the impact it has on people's lives. You can express yourself, showing off your favorite song lyrics or posting pictures of your new outfit. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassment over the internet than in person, so people find it easier to vent their feelings on sites like Facebook. In fact, it has become so much a part of people's lives that you can learn someone's life story just by checking their page. Their friends, likes and dislikes, relationship status, phone number, address…everything. You can share your feelings and your mental stresses - and it is a great way to entertain yourself after a busy daily routine. It also makes it a lot easier to keep in touch with family and friends, especially if they live far away. But you can also make new friends by connecting with friends of friends that you might not know.

Addiction is one thing so profound with social media. It glues people to it longer than enough. People are more than constantly checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Vine or other social media updates. This addiction could negatively affect other valued activities like concentrating on studies, taking active part in sports, real life communication and ignoring ground realities.

All these said, Let us give social media the respect it deserves. The social media platform has been abused so much especially by the youth to an extent of almost losing its meaning. Primarily, as pointed out above, social media sites were created to socialize, share information, make friends just to mention but a few purposes. Then came a generation that realized that they could easily sneak in stuff without being asked as their parents ‘hawk eyes’ were not present to oversee and man their posts and comments online. That’s when the doom of the social media good purposes set in.

popular singer Miley Cyrus tweeted this picture hours before album launch

 Nude pictures of young men and women found their way into the internet. They became the order of the social media especially among the young people. The prime purposes of social media has since then changed. Social media has changed into a beauty and nudity peageant competition. As if marketing themselves and their bodies, these young men and women post a string of photos and images clad in clothing appearing too early and ending too late. Young ladies have now found a platform to feed the hungry eyes of young men without questioning by their parents or guardians. Photos taken in the bathroom naked, others half naked in all manners of poses and facial expressions are hard to avoid nowadays especially on instagram and face book.

Comments such as Sexy, sweet, breathtaking et cetera align themselves below nude posts of young ladies. Others commenting as if reprimanding these posts are shushed by other comments telling them to unfollow or unfriend them if they do not like it. Others are even dubbed as backward from the 60s and behind. Not forgetting that 90 percent of these comments come from men who view sex objects in them and only wish they had a chance. Just ones.  Social media has changed the view of women and their bodies as valuable and to be honored. The internet usage has reduced them to objects of pleasure; sexual objects. As if they care not about this, young ladies become even more psyched up and feed hungry eyes with more nude pictures and posts.

Whats app messenger as a form of social media has not been left out either. Videos and photos that were not meant for the public are now circulated easily, the most recent case being a video of one Kenyan DJ DJ crème de la creme having sex. This video found its way to peoples gadgets as soon as it fell in the wrong hands. Not leaving out the infamous Mollis clip that was recorded as the guy by name Morris was recorded or recorded an audio of him having sex with an anonymous lady. These videos, audios and photos especially those with sexual inclinations are very good at trending over whatsapp. Whilst we all know that the Whats app messenger was created for sharing information, sensible, over the internet, the information sent however is going overboard.

Accidents happen and the next things you see on your whats app messenger are images of victims from the accident dead or alive. Images of mutilated bodies’ victims of terror attacks are fast passed around mobile phones. This is against the rights of such persons.

Facebook, Instagram, tweeter among others have now become a place for the youth to run away to, spend time, get information and market themselves. Social media is now leading to laziness. Someone wakes up in the morning, switches his gadget on say a laptop and is glued there until its lunch time, goes back, continues chatting, commenting, posting things until dinner is ready. He then checks again on Facebook and other media before retiring to bed ready for the same tomorrow.

Social media has been abused. It has been used for the wrong reasons with excuse of freedom of expression, taking advantage of the fact that no supervision or minimal oversight is done on our posts and comments. Social media has lost its primary meaning and purpose to the ways and likes of its users.

Social media should be treated as a facet of an overall marketing plan with clear objectives, ROI goals, and a thoughtful strategy with a set of tactics. It should be treated as a means of acquiring information. Social media should be used to share sensible information. It should not be an excuse for laziness. Social media should not be the reason women have been degraded to objects of pleasure. Neither should it infringe on the rights of any individual male or female, dead or alive, young or old. Let social media be social media. A platform to socialize, make friends, share information and have fun. Let social media be used to help people grow. Let us use social media with care and intelligence, with wisdom and understanding. Let us use social media for what it is rightfully supposed to be used for.

LAST NIGHT I HAD SEX

BY Maina Kiwiri

So last night I had sex, or was it making love? Well I don’t know. But I do know it felt nice.  Didn’t take that long. she felt good too. Or so she said.

The circumstances that led us there? Well simple yet complicated. Si you know these youthly desires. Oh, u are saved, you don’t feel these things, the grace is sufficient you know.. 2^nd Corinthians chapter 2 vs. 9. Well I do, n I did, and n she was present. She couldn’t be absent. Not with the love I’ve been lavishing her of late. Not with the close proximity we’ve been sharing of late. The intimate moments we’ve been having especially after long hours of sharing Gods word till late in the night.  She’s a saved sister you know… n I love the Lord. I know him… to an extent.

Well, last night I had sex… started with the bible study. Till late in the night. As usual. Then somewhere in the middle, set in the rain, first the drizzle. Long enough as if warning me it was time to leave. Well how would I leave, we were sharing the word. You can’t leave the word hanging you know. N then it was drizzling. This is how brothers get colds. And again, am I not a faithful brother? Are you not my witnesses in Jerusalem, Samaria Judea and to the ends of the earth Acts 1 vs.8?

Last night I had sex I say… then came in the rain. First thunderstorm, then lighting. As if God was taking photographs of what was taking place between us, then the heavy rains. Sister, this rain, do you mind if I pitch tents at your house this night?   It’s OK brother lest Jesus comes back and tells me he asked for shelter and I offered none.**

Last night I had sex. So the bible study continued. Bit by bit. Did I just hear myself quote 1^st Corinthians 13? Did I just say Love is timeless? I know where this is leading. Did she just tell me that God is love 1st John 4 vs.8 and we SHOULD LOVE EACH OTHER as Christ did the church? Ephesians 5 vs.25. 
This is where your Bible Prowess helps you. So I open Colossians 3 vs. 18 and tactfully omit the wives part quote the ‘submit to your husbands’ and run away with it. Replacing the husband with man. Women should submit to men... And the agenda starts to flow easily. Did she just ask us to do a comprehensive study of songs of Solomon?

 
Last night I had sex. This morning too before I took my bible and came here… then it got cold. And we moved closer. Then closer. And closer still. Still on songs of Solomon… chapter 1, chapter you n two, chapter three n me, blah blah blah….. greet one another with a holy kiss,,, Romans 16vs 16
that’s when we decided to greet, is it not the bible that has commanded us so? brother, sister, did greetings do the next chemistry n the next, then we were both naked.

Last night we had sex. Here comes the bomb shell. I tried touching her… but brother, I thought these things were for married people, n am like is she playing hard to get or is she serious with what she's saying?  So I tell her, but we r in love, am soon going to marry you… I don’t believe you she says. I can even marry you here, do we need a big multitude, its just a matter of vows n a sign. Covenant remember? The vows well make them ,the sign is what we are just about to do. The  witnesses? Oh my God, there's no way out of here…. Witnesses??!!
Then an idea just strikes… at your end point that's wen Jesus comes…. I unleash my Samsung tablet. The digital era,,,
We’ll record all of it an post it on you tube Facebook twitter for all the world to see.
 

Last night I had sex… did I tell you,what an escapade!!  the beginning of one two many…, the statistics just got better or is it worse. Two more youths joined the club. Two more youths broke their virginity last night, two more souls just left the Lords camp. Two more lives lost to the devil, two more hypocrites in church, two more teenagers who did not fight the battle to the end, just two more,,, more to the negative, two more Christians just had sex last night. Two more just forgot who they were serving, two more Christians. Just two. Two many more Christians had sex last night. Then I reported myself first.With a repentant heart, asking God for forgiveness, because, Last Night I had sex…